This stunning Red White and Blue Poke Cake is guaranteed to be the star of the party! It’s perfect patriotic dessert for Memorial Day and 4th of July!
Patriotic Poke Cake
Not only is this cake absolutely gorgeous, there is so much flavor in every bite. Plus, it’s easier than you think to make it with a box cake trick!
Update: 5/2019: This red white and blue poke cake has been a hit for years now — it’s one of our favorite patriotic themed treats. To make it even easier to re-create at your own holiday event, we’ve added a video tutorial as well as two different decorating ideas!
We’ll show you how to make an American flag red white and blue poke cake:
And how to make a more a red white and blue poke cake that resembles fireworks:
The inside is the same for both, but the decorating method on top is the difference. Both are festive and fun — you can pick your favorite!
4th of July Jello Poke Cake Ingredients
(Makes one 9×13″ pan)
For the Cake:
- 1 box of french vanilla cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) of softened unsalted sweet cream butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste
- 1 package (8oz) cherry jello
- 1 package (8oz) blueberry or blue raspberry jello
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cup powder sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Blue and red food coloring
Kitchen tools you might find helpful:
Affiliate links provided for your convenience in re-creating this recipe; read disclosure policy here.
4th of July Poke Cake Directions
First, watch this quick demo video to see how we made our patriotic poke cake, then keep reading for full step-by-step directions. There’s also a free printable copy of the recipe at the bottom of the post.
Click video to play:
To prepare the red white and blue poke cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9×13″ glass baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
Using a stand or hand mixer, combine the cake mix, eggs, butter, milk and vanilla bean paste and mix on medium speed until fully mixed.
Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).
While cake is baking, prepare your red Jello and blue Jello (separately):
- Combine cherry Jello with 3/4 cup boiling water, stirring until dissolved.
- Add 1/2 cup cold water to cherry Jello.
- Allow to rest for 2 minutes, then stir to mix.
- Repeat the above steps for the blue Jello.
- Pour each Jello into their own plastic squeeze bottle.
Once cake is cooled enough to handle, use the bottom of a wooden spoon handle to poke holes into the cake, about 1-2″ apart.
Use the squeeze bottles you prepared to squirt blue Jello into the top row of holes. Repeat this using the red Jello in the next row. Continue alternating Jello colors until all rows are filled.
Allow cake to set in fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight if time allows).
To prepare the frosting:
Combine all frosting ingredients (except food coloring) in a large bowl and mix on medium speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
If your frosting still has any clumps after a couple minutes, add another tablespoon of heavy whipping cream. Continue mixing until you have creamy frosting with stiff peaks.
Separate the frosting into three small bowls. Add the red food dye into one bowl and mix until smooth and even-colored. Add the blue food dye into the second bowl and stir to mix. Leave the third bowl white.
Use a tricolor frosting coupler to easily achieve the triple-colored frosting effect. (It allows you to neatly pipe 3 frosting colors together at the same time!)
TIP: If you don’t have a tricolor frosting coupler, you can pipe each color of frosting separately to create a flag on top of your cake. Both designs look amazing on a 4th of July party table!
After frosting, allow to cake chill for about 30 minutes in the fridge for easier cutting. Enjoy!
Printable Copy of our Red White and Blue Poke Cake Recipe:
Red White and Blue Poke Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 box cherry Jello (large box)
- 1 box blue raspberry Jello (large box)
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-5 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Blue and red food coloring
Instructions
Cake Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x13" glass baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, combine the cake mix, eggs, butter, milk and vanilla bean paste and mix on medium speed until fully mixed.
- Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).
Jello Instructions:
- Combine cherry Jello with 3/4 cup boiling water, stirring until dissolved.
- Add 1/2 cup cold water to cherry Jello.
- Allow to rest for 2 minutes, then stir to mix.
- Repeat the above steps for the blue Jello.Pour each Jello into their own plastic squeeze bottle.
How to Make a Poke Cake
- Once cake is cool, use the bottom of a wooden spoon handle to poke holes into the cake, about 1-2" apart.
- Use the squeeze bottles you prepared to squirt blue Jello into the top row of holes. Repeat this using the red Jello in the next row. Continue alternating Jello colors until all rows are filled.
- Allow cake to set in fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight if time allows).
To prepare the frosting:
- Combine all frosting ingredients (except food colorinin a large bowl and mix on medium speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- If your frosting still has any clumps after a couple minutes, add another tablespoon of heavy whipping cream. Continue mixing until you have creamy frosting with stiff peaks.
- Separate the frosting into three small bowls. Add the red food dye into one bowl and mix until smooth and even-colored. Add the blue food dye into the second bowl and stir to mix. Leave the third bowl white.
Decorating Instructions:
- Use a tricolor frosting coupler to easily achieve the triple-colored frosting effect or pipe each color of frosting separately to create a flag on top of your cake.
- Allow to cake chill for about 30 minutes in the fridge before cutting and serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Red White & Blue recipes and party ideas:
Kid-Made Wooden American Flag Paint Stick Keepsake
American Flag Gluten Free Fruit Pizza
20+ Red White & Blue Drink Recipes
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